Cabernet Franc starting to flowerAfter a sunny first week out in Touraine, the weather changed over the weekend with rain overnight Friday/Saturday and further showers over the rest of the weekend, although with some bright intervals and cooler than it has been. This morning it's raining steadily. Although it has been very dry and we need the rain, now is not tghe best time as the vines are starting to flower.
Dry warm days with a lot of wind are best conditions for a successful flowering, which can be all over in around three to five days. Cool and damp is not good as the flowering with be less successful provoking coulure (failure to set) and millerandage (called hen and chicken as only some of the grapes in a bunch develop properly). It may not be all bad news as 2009 is potentially a generous harvest, so some coulure etc. will naturally reduce the yields and save producers from having to cut of excess bunches. A difficult flowering is also likely to mean various in grape maturity as the flowering will tend to be long and drawn out.
At the moment Méteo France is forecasting a better day tomorrow in Indre et Loire. Rain again on Wednesday, some sun on Thursday, rain Friday and then clearing up from Saturday and looking promising into the early part of next week. All that, of course, may change...........
Noon update: still pouring with rain. Looking like a case of bad timing. Furthermore anyone who hasn't treated against mildew may well have problems as with this much rain it won't be possible to use tractors in the vineyards for a few days.
Dry warm days with a lot of wind are best conditions for a successful flowering, which can be all over in around three to five days. Cool and damp is not good as the flowering with be less successful provoking coulure (failure to set) and millerandage (called hen and chicken as only some of the grapes in a bunch develop properly). It may not be all bad news as 2009 is potentially a generous harvest, so some coulure etc. will naturally reduce the yields and save producers from having to cut of excess bunches. A difficult flowering is also likely to mean various in grape maturity as the flowering will tend to be long and drawn out.
At the moment Méteo France is forecasting a better day tomorrow in Indre et Loire. Rain again on Wednesday, some sun on Thursday, rain Friday and then clearing up from Saturday and looking promising into the early part of next week. All that, of course, may change...........
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Noon update: still pouring with rain. Looking like a case of bad timing. Furthermore anyone who hasn't treated against mildew may well have problems as with this much rain it won't be possible to use tractors in the vineyards for a few days.
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12.40: The noon update appears to have done the trick – it's stopping raining ..... at least for the moment.
22.30: .... at least for the moment was the operative word. Some very heavy showers during the afternoon and now a thunderstorm with heavy rain and perhaps a touch of hail.
22.30: .... at least for the moment was the operative word. Some very heavy showers during the afternoon and now a thunderstorm with heavy rain and perhaps a touch of hail.
